Right right after the Super Bowl is an unofficial start out of the spring housing market place, one particular of the busiest situations for true estate brokers and present-day and opportunity purchasers.
Agents are normally searching for strategies to be more economical and connect with home buyers and sellers. They try to determine out how best to use their means and which tools to pull out of their device belts.
1 new device developing in reputation across fields is the chatbot ChatGPT, which makes use of artificial intelligence to answer to prompts in a conversational way. It has produced headlines for carrying out this kind of feats as passing a Wharton professor’s MBA test.
» Read through Extra: ChatGPT: What you want to know about the AI chatbot
Michael Severns, principal listing professional and broker of history at a Redfin business office centered in Wayne, shared how he employs ChatGPT.
Preserving time and taking part in to strengths
Exhibiting houses to purchasers and negotiating on their behalf are time-consuming responsibilities for real estate brokers. At the exact same time, agents also have to constantly operate to make connections and establish potential customers to provide in new shoppers.
“I’m inherently lazy, so I attempt to discover the best way to do things,” Severns mentioned. “This resource is excellent for someone like me.”
He takes advantage of ChatGPT to make social media and site posts. And he has a further app that schedules his social media posts across his accounts.
He posts on Medium.com and asks the chatbot to act as an editor. It cleans up his creating and helps make his reviews far more succinct. He can even check with it to add some humor into a site article.
“I’m not that wonderful of a author,” he reported. “That’s why I like ChatGPT.”
He lately posted about 10 matters likely consumers really should check when they tour a property. He fed ChatGPT a checklist he gives to purchasers and asked it to act as a real estate agent and demonstrate why the 10 items on the list are so important.
He feeds ChatGPT industry news and asks it to rephrase the information and facts from the level of see of a genuine estate agent.
“The capabilities and the factors it can do are phenomenal,” he said.
It is a single way he stays in entrance of probable residence buyers and sellers. In concerning scheduled posts, he throws in some individual kinds — and these days, posts about the Eagles — to additional link with people.
Being up-to-day
Severns works by using ChatGPT to retain track of the matters of the working day.
He asks it concerns this kind of as “What are 10 social media publish subjects I really should do as a authentic estate agent?”
Relating to diverse demographics
Severns is 45 and acknowledges that he does not know every little thing the youngest property consumers are into. He claimed synthetic intelligence will help him connect with unique demographics.
“I can say, ‘Act as an advertiser and rewrite this write-up to have interaction with 18- to 35-year-olds,’ and it will do that,” he said.
Combining tech with expertise
ChatGPT is much from best. At times the chatbot gives Severns erroneous details, so he tends to make confident to double-look at what ChatGPT comes up with.
He does not have the chatbot do all the things. Descriptions of homes in listings, for instance, are created by a “really phenomenal” listing coordinator at Redfin, he said.
He has talked to other genuine estate brokers who are afraid of the technological know-how and really don’t want to learn to use it, but Severns claimed he’s savoring the perks.
“It’s just an additional instrument that we can use in our toolbox,” he stated.
Congratulations! If you’re going on to Stage 4, that signifies you are now past what could possibly be the worst portion of the house-buying system: figuring out funding.
It’s pretty much time for the most enjoyable component, wherever you can truly get started searching for houses, desire-scrolling by way of properties on Zillow or Redfin and fantasizing about how to configure the dwelling home or where to set your vegetation.
But right before that, 1 a lot more determination awaits: using the services of a true estate agent.
In the fashionable age, it can be tempting to skip this and navigate the market place oneself. The world wide web has eradicated the Realtor as sole gatekeeper of the authentic estate market, and any person can now access residence information and facts that was when limited to certified agents. It has also opened up a new way to locate brokers, who market by themselves on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube — several turning to these social media platforms in the course of the pandemic, when in-man or woman meetings and tours have been not possible.
Even with this, there are nevertheless a plethora of explanations why it is smarter to seek out out an agent. As a buyer, you definitely have nothing at all to lose because most contracts stipulate that the vendor pays the commission for the buyer’s agent.
Here’s a record of responsibilities that agents can conduct outside of simply getting you a dwelling to tour.
Marketplace knowledge
Absolutely sure, the community you’re eyeing just received a new vegan bakery and a coffee shop exactly where you can convey your puppy, but does that necessarily mean residence costs will enjoy? Any great agent will realize the current market and, applying MLS details, discern whether or not it’s a fantastic plan to commit in an place.
Distinct brokers have distinctive suggestions and tricks far too, and it is value at minimum recognizing what they are. A single, for illustration: “I would remain absent from new listings,” said Hektor Castillo, an agent focusing on sales in the L.A. area who is active on TikTok and Instagram.
“My tactic to aid 1st-time buyers is to present them qualities that have been on the current market for more than 20 days,” he reported. “Properties that were being just listed today will have various features tomorrow. The competition will be extreme.” Castillo stated he not long ago shut two promotions this way and is in escrow on a third.
If a home value would seem also fantastic to be true, it likely is, and experienced brokers can help you spot and control that, as well. Reduced costs meant to spur bidding wars are frequent. Agent Loida Velasquez said her strategy is to element that in early when contemplating homes, normally telling her customers: “Let’s start off reduced and have that wiggle area.”
“Any customer I’m functioning with, let us say they are experienced for $600,000, I say, ‘Let’s search up to $550,000 so you have a cushion to occur up,’” Velasquez reported. A property with a minimal-ball listing of $550,000, she extra, “is likely heading to promote at $700,000.”
Building an offer
With so substantially money at stake, house negotiations can be a brutal approach, and in a sector as competitive as Southern California’s, you want an specialist who has been there before and can respond credibly when delivers and counteroffers go flying back again and forth. If you check out to negotiate with the seller’s agent oneself, they may well haggle more challenging if they odor inexperience.
Negotiate inspections
Rate negotiations are one particular point, but if a number of presents come in, the seller might start out asking you to waive inspection or appraisal contingencies. It’s a risky move, but undertaking so could place your offer previously mentioned the rest, and your agent can notify you irrespective of whether it’s worthy of performing.
In the long run, a serious estate agent functions for you. L.A. has hundreds of them, and finding the suitable a person can be mind-boggling. In simple fact, California has the next-optimum number of Realtors of any state: 212,279, according to 2021 details from the National Assn. of Realtors.
Most buyers’ very first impulse is to go with anyone they know, such as a pal or family member. It would make feeling if you go with another person you can belief, you can be positive they have your finest curiosity in brain. On the other hand, in a market place as competitive as this 1, you require to make positive your agent isan qualified in whichever neighborhood you are eyeing.
For case in point, when Courtney Northrop was residence hunting, she toured a home in North Hollywood. The seller’s agent was from Riverside and not common with the location, and he priced the house way also high. It languished on the sector with little curiosity, and when Northrop ended up buying the dwelling, she did not have to compete from any other buyers and got a excellent deal.
“They could’ve had a bidding war if it was priced correctly,” Northrop stated.
Past skills, your agent really should have connections. Compass agent Brent Chang picked up a customer who stated he’d prepared six offers, but none was accepted. With Chang, he submitted just one supply, and it was accepted even even though it was a bit lower than the other people since Chang had worked with the seller’s agent in advance of.
“Listing agents like protection. If they have an provide that is a bit decreased but they’re guaranteed the deal will make it by way of escrow simply because they are familiar with your agent, they’ll generally go with that one particular,” Chang reported.
Acquiring an agent who checks all the containers normally takes investigation. Use Google or a serious estate listing website to look for for brokers based in a specified community, but also inquire all around. Go to open up properties and converse to the brokers you fulfill. See who your friends utilised, and whether or not they had a fantastic encounter.
An additional excellent strategy is to search at current promotions that closed in the community and locate out which agents had been involved. If you see names pop up far more than as soon as, people agents most likely know what they’re doing. If no names are sticking out, check with mates or spouse and children for a advice.
“Your agent really should have an ear to the floor in the certain market place the place you’re seeking,” explained Josh Altman, a Douglas Elliman agent and star of “Million Dollar Listing,” a fact present following L.A. brokers. “They must know all the things coming to the market place, every little thing getting developed and each possible seller.”
With 1000’s of brokers competing for small business, lots of try out to stand out on social media to get millennials’ focus — particularly in a area as graphic acutely aware as Southern California. Deal with individuals platforms the way you would if you observed an agent in an ad or heard about them as a result of close friends: Do your research.
Adhere to the major brokers in your space on their TikTok, Instagram or YouTube accounts, and glance for evidence of how energetic they are and their client successes. Make confident the agents are marketing their perform as an alternative of by themselves. If you see another person cranking out 5 viral posts each single day, they are most likely not paying out as considerably time on their shoppers as they need to be.
Altman, presently a superstar in the business, said that he didn’t expect to get significant on TikTok, but that it delivers in new company, primarily from young customers, who devote a whole lot of time on the platform. “It’s not just about individuals dancing. It’s yet another avenue likely prospective buyers use to find houses and brokers,” he mentioned.
Those people savvy on social media from time to time go on names and household qualified prospects from Instagram and TikTok to their parents, said Castillo, who currently has observed YouTube to be incredibly practical in connecting him with prospective buyers.
At the time you have some prospective clients, interview at the very least three. Request them about the marketplace. Talk to them what you can be expecting in your cost vary. Talk to them how lots of other clientele they have. Ask them no matter whether you’ll be working with them or one particular of their assistants. Ask them how they’ll make your present stand out from other buyers’.
“It’s Alright to simply call all around for distinct agents. If I’m up against any person else, that can make me function harder,” Altman explained. “If I cannot discover anyone a house, I didn’t do my job.”
If you are satisfied with an agent’s answers, and you join on a private amount, then you are good to go.
Be aware: Actual estate agents make dollars only when you acquire a property, and a undesirable agent will check out to rush you through the course of action. If at any place you truly feel force from an agent to make an offer or settle for an give, stroll absent. There are a good deal of fish in the sea (and loads of brokers in L.A.).
Lousy agents might also consider to make you opt for a certain home dependent on how significantly fee they obtain. Different listings have unique commissions for your agent one residence might guarantee 2{d4d1dfc03659490934346f23c59135b993ced5bc8cc26281e129c43fe68630c9} but an additional could possibly give 3{d4d1dfc03659490934346f23c59135b993ced5bc8cc26281e129c43fe68630c9}. If you’re choosing amongst a few different households, inquire your agent how much fee is at stake for every single one.
Sometimes the stars align — you and the agent seem to be like a match — and still there are conversation snags. The additional you know, the far better questions you can question, the extra completely ready you are to response concerns, and the smoother the sailing will be. Sarah Tran and her husband came into their dwelling-shopping for journey educated and organized, and nonetheless they hit delays near the end that she attributed to patchy details from their Realtor.
“I come to feel like he did not actually do a good position of walking us by the course of action, the deadlines, the forms wanted. I was pissed off,” Tran, 31, reported. They closed on their North Extended Beach household in December with a two-day delay.
John and Sarah Tran bought a household in Extended Seaside in December. She needs they had experienced superior interaction with their Real estate agent about the course of action.
(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Occasions)
Another way?
There are some other approaches to go about getting a dwelling further than the regular authentic estate agent and financial loan. This is 2022 just after all, and a handful of providers now offer techniques to acquire a house in a considerably less-regular manner.
Two main designs are firms that place forth a income supply on your behalf and organizations that enable with a down payment in trade for a share of your equity.
Linda Sherry, a director with the nonprofit Client Motion, said the new providers could be “reasonable, but with anything at all like this the devil is in the depth.”
She mentioned that the long-time period outcomes of these items have nonetheless to be unveiled, so consumers need to be excess cautious. She proposed speaking with a housing counselor or a serious estate lawyer to vet the goods beforehand.
If you want more depth on the expert services, below is a sampling:
All-funds provides: Flippers and other modest-time traders have extensive available to pay home owners dollars for their homes. Sellers like an all-cash provide because it’s a speedy sale with no will need for a purchaser to line up financing that may perhaps slide as a result of.
Recently, providers called ibuyers, or quick prospective buyers, designed a splash in the authentic estate earth with all-income provides backed by Wall Street investors and on the web programs that streamline the course of action.
Now, some corporations are supplying prospective prospective buyers a way to use funds so their bidscan stand out.
A single of them is Flyhomes, which presents you a small-time period personal loan to purchase a residence in cash. Immediately after the deal closes, you can then perform with your lender or Flyhomes to get into a prolonged-term mortgage.
Other firms — like Opendoor and Ribbon — will back again your financed provide with their income and agree to purchase the property if your house loan doesn’t come through on time. If that occurs, the providers say they will then market the home back to you at the unique value when you secure funding.
Flyhomes and Opendoor also supply some variety of consumer warranty if you use their providers and move into your new property and don’t like it. If that’s the circumstance, Opendoor will buy some homes back, while Flyhomes will record and offer your dwelling without the need of charging a commission.
Equity Sharing: For all those who want enable with a down payment and never thoughts sacrificing some opportunity profit, fairness-sharing businesses could be an solution. These providers offer loans that really don’t cost interest, but as a substitute claim some of the raise in the home’s price.
One business is Noah, which will lend you as much as 15{d4d1dfc03659490934346f23c59135b993ced5bc8cc26281e129c43fe68630c9} of your home’s invest in price tag to set towards a down payment. You’d have 10 several years to pay it back again, which you could do with discounts, with proceeds from the sale of your residence or with cash from a cash-out refinancing.
When you determine to fork out the money back again — both at the 10-yr mark or ahead of — an unbiased appraisal is accomplished, mentioned Noah Main Executive Sahil Gupta. If the property has improved in worth, you owe what Noah originally gave you, as well as a share of the home’s rate appreciation.
Next: Make the most of open up residences
In this article are some open home dos, don’ts and red flags — with a handy checklist to remind you what to ask and search out for.
If the home’s worth declined, you never owe everything Noah gave you, Gupta mentioned. Rather, you owe the first amount of money minus a proportion of the decline in price.
A regular split is 65{d4d1dfc03659490934346f23c59135b993ced5bc8cc26281e129c43fe68630c9} of the home’s appreciation or depreciation goes to you, even though 35{d4d1dfc03659490934346f23c59135b993ced5bc8cc26281e129c43fe68630c9} goes to Noah, Gupta stated. The percentages change in Noah’s favor if you have lousy credit rating or Noah contributed the highest 15{d4d1dfc03659490934346f23c59135b993ced5bc8cc26281e129c43fe68630c9} of a home’s worth.
A similar fairness-sharing selection arrives from the business Landed. Having said that, its companies are confined to “essential professionals” such as teachers, health care employees and federal government workers.
As a accredited salesperson with APT212, Olivia, who specializes in Manhattan’s ultra-luxury market place, is 1 of the most sought-just after brokers in Manhattan’s luxury real estate sector.
Showcased Image for APT212
Featured Image for APT212
NEW YORK, Feb. 14, 2022 (World NEWSWIRE) — Olivia Gourley, a Certified Salesperson with APT212, at the moment has a number of true estate specials in the pipeline, along with an $80,000 for every month luxury rental and functioning to shut a $17M transaction, in the aggressive New York marketplace. Known for helping multimillion-greenback purchasers uncover large-worth qualities that replicate their refined preferences, she has scouted every listing on and off the sector for prospective buyers at a time when selling prices have peaked and strike file concentrations. Liaising with regional brokers and working with tech-enabled exploration to rating the finest specials, she is at the moment negotiating for the lowest rates on behalf of her elite clientele.
At APT212—a New York-dependent tech-infused authentic estate company—Olivia assists buyers and sellers with their actual estate buying, marketing, and leasing demands. She guides her customers by way of all phases of the transaction, like the arduous condo and co-op software processes, whilst being accessible 24/7 for high-stakes offers, ideal from day just one to the time of closing.
Commenting on her dedication to realize success in the sector, she said, “I appreciate authentic estate simply because I’m hardworking, persistent, and I imagine imaginatively — that’s how I discover purchasers the finest offers attainable. I imagine of each individual client’s wants as if I had been buying or selling my possess house, and I place as significantly energy into it as if it had been mine, each solitary time.”
About the yrs, Olivia has received multiple awards and accolades for her perform in the sector. She was honored with the “2021 Leading Gross sales Agent of the 12 months” title, awarded by APT212. With her intricate being familiar with of the sector and know-how of the premier neighborhoods of New York, she stands out from the other 70,000+ agents in the location. When the actual estate sector witnessed a slowdown due to the pandemic, she aggressively expanded her portfolio in Manhattan and loaded the hole still left by neighborhood brokers who had relocated. She walks the excess mile for her purchasers to guarantee that their residences align with their anticipations and are 2nd to none in the current market.
Olivia commenced her journey by doing work in corporate housing, wherein she located upscale, small-phrase stays for domestic and global clientele. This stint gave her useful insights into the demands and expectations of substantial-conclusion clientele, which helped her make the changeover to the dynamic Manhattan marketplace. She has a Advertising and marketing diploma from San Diego Condition University focusing on Integrated Internet marketing Communications. Olivia can be arrived at at 8143161207 or contacted through email at olivia@apt212.com.
About APT212: Centered out of SoHo in New York, APT212 is a leading tech-driven actual estate corporation that focuses on financial commitment revenue and brand new true estate developments in the city’s upscale neighborhoods. To know far more about APT212, take a look at apt212.com/.
Investing in rental property is considerably less unstable than striving to win at the stock current market without having insider info, but it far too has its downsides. Aside from getting an illiquid investment decision and necessitating routine maintenance, it’s notoriously challenging to make your mind up what home you’re heading to adhere with.
Until you’re a BlackRock executive, you’re heading to get the rental for a sum instead considerable for your stage of funds. This is why it is crucial to know what to glimpse for in the fantastic investment decision residence. Use this posting as a short guideline and an introduction to the planet of actual estate investment.
Rental industry
The initially detail you should choose a seem at when thinking of whether or not you want to obtain a particular house or not is to acquire a glimpse at the hire market place. This should give you a tough estimate of what your probable ROI can be. You can effortlessly get an estimate by working with an Airbnb dataset. A database like this consists of info on price ranges and availability costs in the course of the year in any supplied location of the US. You can see an estimate of your rental income and estimate ROI in a pair of clicks.
Another point you can get a glance at is how a lot of ads are obtaining listed for every thirty day period and how quickly are they getting taken out from the platform. If there are a great deal of adverts for rentals and they continue being active for a prolonged time it can be a sign that you’re both seeking at a seasonal marketplace wherever need is focused on a few of months per year or landlords are having difficulties to fill their rentals with tenants.
If you suspect the latter, attempt contacting a few of listings that continue to be on the web page for a long time and see if they had been taken and the agent just forgot to choose them down or they’re on the lookout for tenants nevertheless.
Property taxes
Thinking about the residence taxes you will end up paying out on the new residence is also an essential step in picking out what to devote in. In Virginia, you have an simpler time with this as nearby assets taxes are significantly lessen than the US regular. But even now, if you discover a place that rates the lowest tax, you are likely to help you save a few of hundred on yearly expenses.
Construction excellent
That aside, subsequent point you need to have to examine is the development high quality. This does not just contain a decent renovation, but the in general high-quality of the household you’re about to purchase. Roofing, piping, basis, and electrical power community are some of the points you ought to focus on initial.
Not possessing a good renovation can be a good issue because the total price of purchasing a household that does not seem that good and renovating it tends to be fewer than the evaluation raise the renovation can bring. Even so, if the property has important structural troubles, it can imply you will need to both expend near to the home price for a sizeable renovation or constantly commit income on maintenance.
Obtaining such a issue with the rental can spell money problems and undoubtedly will reduce your yearly money. It’s intelligent to just take a professional with you for the last residence tour right before you shut the offer.
Infrastructure
Buying a property that has structural challenges can put a dent in your earnings. But buying a dwelling in the improper spot can probably go away you with no profits at all. Most renters do not opt for the residence based mostly on looks on your own. They also have to have all kinds of facilities all around it. If the community is bit by bit dying with positions fleeing and companies closing, you’ll shortly obtain that it’s more challenging and more challenging to fill the rental with tenants. On the other hand, if prospects in the community are rising, you will be ready to increase rent each and every yr.
Appear at the high quality of the roads, where by the closest features are like universities, shops, dining establishments, and many others. Checking out a regional cafe through active several hours can also be a excellent indicator of how properly the businesses are doing. If the expense residence is in just satisfactory length from the features and the community looks to be performing fantastic, it is another indicator your deal is likely to be rewarding.
Career market
Owning a good concept of the task current market in the area is going to tell your last selection a good deal improved. When the amount of employment is increasing, the range of people today going into the spot is heading to improve, bringing the selling prices up. When the reverse is the case, your rental money is likely to experience.
To get a general thought of the task sector in the spot, all you require is to come across out what massive businesses are in shut proximity and whether they have strategies to extend. You can also search web sites that article task advertisements like in fact.com, and see no matter whether there are a good deal of unfilled vacancies and how usually they get posted.
Municipal planning
A different point that can assist you determine out what is the foreseeable future of the community is likely to be like is the enhancement that is heading on about the area. You can look at with the municipality to see what the zoning legal guidelines are and what building is heading on. If a community has a great deal going on like new outlets and factories becoming constructed, it’s a indicator that the site is heading to have a ton of need in the long run.
Normal disasters
The previous issue you have to verify is how possible are all-natural disasters to occur in the space you are concentrating on. Whilst Virginia doesn’t experience from them as considerably as Louisiana or Florida, it’s not uncommon to see floods in some counties. If you do want to acquire in an place that is vulnerable to flooding, you might want to possibly reconsider or make positive you have great insurance policies.
Last year, a Zillow survey showed that 36{d4d1dfc03659490934346f23c59135b993ced5bc8cc26281e129c43fe68630c9} of buyers would even purchase a property sight unseen. But despite all the desperate buyers willing to skip the in-person showing, most people still expect to actually see a home first.
During the height of the pandemic, real estate agents across the country discovered that social media platform TikTok was an ideal way to safely show prospective buyers homes. Now, some are saying the video app has revolutionized the way they sell real estate — and it is here to stay.
Madison Sutton is a 25-year-old agent in New York City. She specializes in off-market deals and what she calls “hidden-treasure apartments.” But during the pandemic, she was scraping the barrel for leads because so many people were moving out of the city.
Sutton created her TikTok account, @TheNYCAgent, in early 2020. She had “no expectations for it whatsoever,” citing the pandemic as the catalyst for starting her account. But as soon as she started posting apartment tours on the app, she said interest in her TikTok and her properties spiked.
“There were days I was getting two or four hundred inquiries for one apartment,” she recalled. “What TikTok did, I couldn’t have expected or planned or calculated in my entire lifetime. It’s completely changed my life.”
Sutton said 100{d4d1dfc03659490934346f23c59135b993ced5bc8cc26281e129c43fe68630c9} of her business now comes from TikTok, and her commissions have almost doubled.
Nearly three-quarters of TikTok users spend more than an hour on the app weekly, according to Statista. The endless scroll and use of algorithms keep users coming back for more. It’s this format that Sutton finds an asset. “Where else in New York City could you see 10 apartments in 10 minutes other than TikTok?,” Sutton said.
And while typical house hunters fret over scheduling in-person tours, online-savvy ones can view in-depth videos that Sutton makes with the flick of a finger.
Part of what makes TikTok so useful for real estate agents is the quick-fire video interface and algorithmically curated For You page. Videos that appear on a user’s For You page are collected according to their unique interests, region, search history, and interactions with advertisers. Because TikTok uses such engagement metrics to determine interest in a video, a new content creator does not need a large following or paid promotion for their video to go viral and reach a broad audience.
It took Fort Worth, Texas, realtor Prince Whiting just a week on the platform to get his first hit. Since creating @TheHouseofWhiting in January 2021, he has amassed 2.2 million likes on his videos. The exposure he gets on his content is virtually free, unlike his previous method of paid print advertising.
“I’d say about 90{d4d1dfc03659490934346f23c59135b993ced5bc8cc26281e129c43fe68630c9} of the views are on the For You page and not the people that follow me,” said Whiting. “Everybody has an opportunity to go viral. It’s not because you have a 100 million or a million followers and that check mark to verify.”
Whiting said that unlike other social media platforms, the popularity and consistency of TikTok hashtags like #homesforsale (24.4 million views) and #luxuryrealestate (556 million views) make it easier for him to reach people who are ready to buy.
As with all new social media, there is of course a learning curve. With six years of experience in real estate and zero knowledge of TikTok, Dallas real estate broker Joseph Felling admits it took him a few tries to find his niche on the platform.
Felling said he’s found the most success by showcasing Dallas’ low home prices relative to other major metropolitan areas in the US. More than any other platform, TikTok has allowed him to reach clientele from outside of Texas.
“I think Covid really made people experience what more there is,” said Felling. “It’s so crazy how many California buyers I have had in the past year because they’re able to sell their million-dollar property in California, move to Texas and get a much larger property for $500,000.”
He said he now gets about 75{d4d1dfc03659490934346f23c59135b993ced5bc8cc26281e129c43fe68630c9} of his leads from TikTok, and his sales have nearly quadrupled. As a result, Felling has stopped marketing his properties in print publications.
The future of real estate
The brokers CNN spoke with all joined TikTok within the past two years, and they all believe the app is the future of real estate.
It has certainly garnered a huge following: in September 2021, TikTok hit 1 billion monthly active users.
“We live in such a visual society,” said Felling. “Video is the wave of the future. That’s how you’re going to get people’s attention.”
Sutton also said that a more visual medium allows possible buyers to imagine themselves living in a particular town or city. She often mixes local video content into her feed, showing her favorite restaurants and markets in nearby neighborhoods.
Most of all, realtors can use TikTok to engage their buyers in a conversation. Sutton said she’s created lasting relationships with clients over TikTok who often return to her for the next step of their house hunting journey.
“[TikTok] is creating this relationship that’s much more long-term,” she said. “I may not have had access to these clients, or they may not have been exposed to someone like me.”
According to Sutton, there are no downsides to starting an account. “If you’re a realtor, you should be on TikTok. No questions asked,” she said. “Even if a video performs poorly, it’s not about the performance. If one of those people who sees that video finds their home … I’ve done my job.”
Here are four tips for avoiding the hazards of holiday decorating.
Even though Christmas has been celebrated for centuries, you’re not restricted to decorating in the classic style — unless that’s the style you prefer.
You could use modern Christmas home decor with sleek, clean lines and a pared-down design. Rustic is another option; think simple, distressed pieces in soft, neutral colors. A quirky design scheme uses memorable items that have a unique flair, and a humorous style incorporates funny elements into the decor scheme.
If you have children, you might want to tailor your Christmas home decor to them, making it more whimsical.
Tribune News Service
Decor category
Since Christmas is one of the most popular holidays, there’s a wealth of Christmas home decor items that fall into many categories.
Widely available types of decor include:
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Material
The materials that compose Christmas home decor make a significant impact on its appearance. Material options include metal, wood, ceramic, porcelain, resin, glass, crystal, silk, plastic and straw.
No holiday home decor scheme is complete without Christmas stockings.
All you need is a secure place to hang them.
Of course, this decor is functional in addition to aesthetic, as Santa Claus fills the stockings with small treats during his stop at your home.
Size
The size of Christmas home decor should always suit the dimensions of the space in which it’s displayed.
If you try to squeeze a large piece into a small area, it’ll look overstuffed. And if you display a small decoration in a large space, it’s liable to disappear into its surroundings.
These scenarios demonstrate why size matters when it comes to Christmas home decor.
Christmas decor FAQ
How much should I spend?
The good news is that Christmas home decor is available in a vast price range that makes it accessible for virtually everyone. Pieces can start as low as $8 and can cost upward of $100.
How soon can you reasonably display Christmas home decor?
The window of time for reasonably displaying Christmas home decor has expanded greatly in recent years. Now, many people typically set up their Christmas decorations immediately after removing their Thanksgiving decor.
And rather than rushing to put the items away the day after Christmas or New Year’s Eve, some people choose to enjoy them for days or even weeks longer. Leaving the decorations out until February might be pushing it, but you don’t have to remove them the second the holidays are over.
What kind of Christmas home decor is most versatile?
Certain characters, animals and elements have been associated with Christmas for centuries. While they’re interpreted differently according to the designer, they represent Christmas nonetheless.
— Rudolph/Santa’s reindeer
Tiny Land Christmas wreath, $31.49, Amazon
Amazon.com
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Decor on a dime: Ideas for your home, all under $100
Mirrors as a headboard
Mirrors serve as a visual headboard in this master bedroom.
Tribune News Service
Whether you are using mirrors horizontally to widen a space, vertically to add height or in a grid pattern to mimic windows, this is a great way to bounce light and color in a space.
Removable wallpaper
Removal wallpaper provides a graphic alternative to paint.
Scott Gabriel Morris/Tribune News Service
Wallpaper remains a hot trend. Not sure you want to take the plunge? Try using a removable or temporary wallpaper.
Incorporate industrial elements
Industrial pipe creates an interesting way to create a bar shelf.
Scott Gabriel Morris/Tribune News Service
Industrial pipe can be used for everything from ladder rungs to help hold up shelves.
Curtains made from drop cloths
Who doesn’t love no-sew curtains? Drop cloths are the perfect weight of cotton for a curtain, especially for those looking for privacy. Grab some drapery pins and attach them to a rod, add grommets, and you’re good to go.
Repurposed items as shelves
Skateboards serve as clever shelves in this child’s bedroom.
Scott Gabriel Morris/Tribune News Service
From recycled wood to skateboards in a child’s room or family space, it’s time to get creative.
Succulents in sand
Succulents in vases with sand serve as a modern alternative to dried flowers.
Tribune News Service
Tiny succulents are hearty enough to be around for weeks, if not months. Pair them with plain white sand in a glass jar or vessel and you have a beautiful accent piece for your home.
Affordable side tables and carts
Bar carts or side tables don’t have to be traditional. Garden stools and carts can be used as side tables and decorative accents.
Rice paper or other items placed in shadow boxes or plexiglass
Framed rice paper in plexiglass adds a modern edge.
Tribune News Service
Rice paper is both modern and neutral. One creative idea is to place large pieces in frames.
Wine glasses as candle holders
This is my new “it” idea. Just take wine glasses, flip them over and place a small votive on the bottom, which now serves as the base for your candle. Put something decorative under the mouth of the glass for an even more creative look
Removable wall stickers
These are so much fun and can add instant color and graphics to a space.
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